This one's short and not all that good. The next one will be better, pinky promise!
xxx

"What the hell was that?" He asked, striding toward where Hermione stood, his green eyes flashing. "Dumbledore's dead and you're snogging Malfoy? Malfoy?

Hermione blanched, her mind still reeling from the events of the last few minutes. "Harry-"

"Hermione what's gotten into you? He's a death eater! He tried to kill Dumbledore! He would have!"

"No he wouldn't have. You saw, he was lowering his wand." Hermione said quietly, not sure why she was defending him. Harry was right, he wasn't a good person and any bad things that had happened to him had been brought on him by himself. He had refused her offer to give him protection, she'd done all she could for him.

Harry threw up his hands. "Why are you defending him! Hermione what is wrong with you? He may have lowered his wand but that doesn't automatically make him a good person!"

"I know." She replied, looking over at the window Dumbledore had fallen through. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I certainly don't have any idea." Said Harry, sounding distressed about the whole thing.

Hermione reached for his hand, taking it in hers in a sisterly gesture of affection. "I'm sorry Harry. About everything."

Harry didn't respond, only turning to follow her gaze outside, the eerie green light of the dark mark casting his face in jade. Taking a deep breath he seemed to stand up a little straighter, drawing strength from the very air around them. "I'm going to kill Snape, Hermione."

She turned to look at him. "Harry you can't. If you kill him you'll be just as bad as them."

"It doesn't matter. He doesn't deserve to live." He said, his voice gaining venom as he spoke.

Hermione sighed. "You're only going to get yourself hurt don't-"

He cut her off. His voice, which seemed to have been getting calmer was rising. "I have to catch Snape, okay? He killed Dumbledore. It wasn't even a fair fight. That coward! After all Dumbledore did for him, defending him he kills him!" He turned to her, his eyes narrowed. "I have to do this. I have to." Letting go of her hand he raced from the room, leaving Hermione to stand alone in the astronomy tower.

A crash came from the battle below and Hermione turned, slowly made her way down the stairs and into the chaos below. It felt like she was moving through honey, her mind stuck in a fog that didn't really comprehend the situation at hand. It felt like the world had been turned on its side; nothing made any sense at all.

"Hermione! Hermione help! It's Bill!" She turned to see Ginny, who was holding what must have been her brother's body by the shoulders. It was hard to tell as his face was a mess of bloody gashes, and Hermione couldn't tell if he was breathing. Fighting past the tired haze permeating her brain she ran over to where Ginny crouched, squatting down next to her.

"What happened?" She yelled over the cacophony of battle.

"It was Greyback!" Ginny said, sounding remarkably composed. "He needs to get to the hospital wing."

Forcing all thoughts of Draco and Dumbledore from her mind, Hermione made herself comprehend, pointing her wand at Bill's immobile body. "Levicorpus." He lifted up slowly, until he was floating about a foot above their heads. Hermione turned to Ginny. "I'll take him to the hospital, you go find Harry."

Ginny nodded, setting her jaw. "Where is he?"

"He's outside I think. He would've..." She sighed, spitting the words out like a curse. "Dumbledore's dead. He's lying in the grass outside of the astronomy tower. You'll probably find Harry there."

"Oh god." Ginny put a hand to her mouth. "Is he okay?"

Hermione shook her head. "Of course not."

"Thank you, Hermione. Be careful, okay?" She took one last look at her brother and turned, racing out of the room and down the stairs.

Hermione watcher her leave before slowly guiding Bill out of the room and into the hallway, keeping her focus on his floating form as she walked slowly and carefully to the hospital wing.

As soon as she opened the doors, she was intercepted by Madame Pomfrey who relegated Hermione to a chair by the door.

She sat down on the uncomfortable wood, resting her elbows on her knees and closing her eyes against the cool white light of the infirmary. It appeared as if the effects of the small does of felix felicius she'd taken had worn off completely. She felt as if she couldn't do anything right.

Sighing deeply, she tried to get her thoughts straight. Harry had been right about Snape, right about him being loyal to Voldemort. And about Draco, he wasn't ever any good. Why had she kissed him anyway? That was what, the third time now? She blamed her actions on the felix felicius, stupid luck potion wasn't so lucky after all.

A tap on her shoulder tugged her from her musings, and she looked up into the face of Madame Pomfrey. She smiled ever so slightly, wiping her hands on her white apron. "He's alive. Bill's going to make it."

Hermione smiled. Finally, a bit of good news.

xxx
Review. It motivates me! :D (and if you're nice, I'll throw in a cookie)